1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a rotary tine conveyor having a rotating body having a plurality of tines. The rotating body is provided with a substantially closed outer circumferential surface and recessed regions through which the tines project. The freely rotatable tines are eccentrically supported in bearings. The recessed regions are provided with tine guides through which the tines project.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several methods are known for the loosening and distributing a threshed crop mat in a combine. One example comprises grasping the crop and distributing it with a rotary conveyor equipped with rigid fingers. The rotary conveyor being located above the straw walkers of a combine. Known combines employ conveyors equipped with tines that perform undershot conveying or conveyors equipped with toothed rails that perform overshot conveying. DE-OS-41 27 118 proposes a rapidly rotating crop processing arrangement in the form of a conveyor belt equipped with tines that should supplement a following transverse straw walker in tearing apart the mat of threshed crop material.
The transverse straw walker can also be replaced by a rotary conveyor with movable tines that are supported eccentrically in bearings, as is known from DE-PS-1 904 406. In all cases the straw is loosened more intensively and for a longer period of time for a thorough separation of the remaining kernels. Due to the tearing apart of the mat of the threshed crop material, heavier crop components such as grain can escape through the gaps thus created.